Winterlochen
Family-Friendly Arts Festival
Bring the family and join us on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025 at Interlochen Center for the Arts for a fantastic day filled with FREE art activities. Conduct an orchestra, perform in an acting workshop, learn to swing dance, and so much more! End the day with a free kid's show at 2 p.m. performed by Interlochen Arts Academy students!
Schedule of Events
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Winterlochen is Saturday, Feb. 22 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. We recommend arriving at 11 a.m. to allow your child the opportunity to experience as many activities as possible. All events take place throughout Interlochen's campus.
The kid-friendly performance starts at 2 p.m. at Corson Auditorium. Seating is general admission on a first come, first serve basis. We ask you to please refrain from leaving any empty seats between families in the auditorium so that all guests can catch the performance.
Helpful Links
Use the printable Winterlochen events location and parking map, with a complete schedule of activities on the back, to plan your visit.
Ongoing Events
All ongoing events are open 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Please see events, ages, locations, and descriptions below. Stroller/Wagon parking will be available outside of each building.
| Ongoing Event | Ages | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food Court* | All Ages | MTCAL | Grab a bite from local Interlochen vendors: Mimi's Taqueria and Interlochen Hospitality. |
| Winter Treats and Eats | All Ages | The Writing House | Cozy up with some winter treats! Roast your own s'mores on the patio of The Writing House or enjoy some hot cocoa inside by the fireplace. Made possible in part by a grant from The Oleson Foundation.
|
| Accessible Calm Space | All Ages | Corson Auditorium | We are committed to welcoming a comfortable arts experience for people of all abilities. Corson Auditorium's lobby will be open as a quiet and calm space. Sensory fidget toys, light-softening devices, and noise canceling options will be available upon request. |
| Sledding & Outdoor Fun | All Ages | Opera Field | It's a winter wonderland! Come out to the Opera Field to enjoy a variety of outdoor activities including sledding on the famous Winterlochen Mountain! |
| Summer Camp at Interlochen | All Ages | MTCAL | Did you know that Interlochen has a day camp for kids? Stop by the Admission table to learn more about Interlochen's Arts Discovery day camp for students ages 7 - 12. This week-by-week day camp offers an Interlochen experience at a reduced cost while also remaining flexible to family summer schedules. |
| Get Involved at Interlochen | All Ages | MTCAL | Stop by the Interlochen table to learn about job and volunteer opportunities, adult arts education courses, and the Interlochen Online program. Have a budding artist at home? You can also learn more about Interlochen Arts Academy and Summer Arts Camp opportunities for your child. |
| Summer Camp Crafts | Ages 5+ | Phoenix Theatre | Make a watercolor winter scene. |
| Seed Balls | All Ages | Phoenix Theatre | Join Interlochen's Sustainability Department to learn about native plants and flowers and their importance in our ecosystem. Create a native seed ball to fill our community with flowers this spring and learn how to replicate this easy, nature-loving craft at home! |
| Winterlochen Flags | All Ages | Phoenix Theatre | Personalize your very own flag to take home or wave as you march in the Winterlochen Parade! |
| Animated Music Video | Ages 3+ | Harvey 106 | Want to make a music video? Join Interlochen's animation students to be part of an original music video set with new music from Interlochen's singer-songwriter students. |
| Story Time with Interlochen Public Library | All Ages | The Writing House | Warm up and wind down with story time by The Writing House's indoor fireplace! Join Interlochen Public Library for live readings of fantastical stories, or choose a book from the mobile library for independent reading. |
| Face Painting | Ages 3+ | The Shed | Have the Interlochen Makeup Design class turn your face into a fabulous creation. |
| Bouncy Houses | Ages 6+ | The Shed | Jump, jump, jump around! Head to The Shed to enjoy indoor bounce houses. |
| Imaginary Maps | Ages 7+ | The Writing House | Create your own world on the page by drawing a map of an imaginary or remembered setting and writing down sensory details to make this place more distinctive to the reader. |
| Postcard Poems | Ages 7+ | The Writing House | Choose from a variety of prompts to write and illustrate a short "postcard poem" that can be mailed to a friend or taken home as a keepsake. |
| Character Sketches | Ages 7+ | The Writing House | Create a memorable character on the page by answering questions designed to help you discover your character's distinctive personality. Participants may also choose to sketch their characters visually. |
| Toddler Play! | All Ages | Dennison Center | Dance and sing to popular kids' tunes or play with indoor games - a great chance to "get the wiggles out" in a big empty room! |
| Maker-Space | Ages 5+ | Phoenix Theatre | Join our Maker-Space team and learn how you can create a unique painting using metal objects and magnets. |
| STEM | All Ages | Phoenix Theatre | Make your own snowflakes and then make them fly with science! |
| Interlochen Firetruck | All Ages | Upton-Morley Pavilion | Come check out a beautifully restored vintage firetruck up close! |
*Food Court purchases are an additional cost. Card or Cash is accepted.
Special Events
All special events are at designated times. Please see times, events, ages, locations, and descriptions below.
| Time | Special Event | Ages | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. | Kids Conduct with Classical IPR | All Ages | Music Center 1008 | Young aspiring conductors take turns conducting the Interlochen Arts Academy Wind Symphony in a musical adventure! |
| 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. | Swing Dance | All Ages | Music Center 1010 | Drop in and swing dance with music provided by the Interlochen Jazz Orchestra! |
| 11 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. | Live Karaoke | All Ages | Dendrinos Chapel | From pop hits to Disney classics, take turns belting out your favorite karaoke tunes with a live rock band! |
| 11 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. | Capoeira Circle | Recommended Ages 5 and Up | Harvey 107 | Come play capoeira, a dance like martial art from Brazil accompanied by singing and instruments. |
| 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Frankenprint | All Ages | Dow Center for Visual Arts | Come bend reality with this interactive printmaking activity! Make your own prints using the exquisite corpse drawing game. |
| 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Beads, Beads, and More Beads | All Ages | Dow Center for Visual Arts | Participants of all ages create their very own necklace that incorporates a variety of beads in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Learn simple beading techniques while exploring this hands-on activity. |
| 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Wearable Wonders | All Ages | Dow Center for Visual Arts | Transform an ordinary t-shirt into a wearable piece of artwork right before your eyes. The only thing to stop you is your imagination. |
| 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Mural Madness | All Ages | Dow Center for Visual Arts | Paint, graffiti, drawing, and stamping are all fair game in this collaborative, 40-foot mural. We will work together to make a large-scale themed work of art! |
| 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. | Kids Conduct with Classical IPR | All Ages | Music Center 1008 | Young aspiring conductors take turns conducting the Interlochen Arts Academy Wind Symphony in a musical adventure! |
| 11:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. | Acting Workshop | Ages 7 to 9 | Harvey Theatre | Explore the three main tools of the actor: the voice, the body, and the imagination. Engage in theatre exercises and activities that teach fundamental acting skills. |
| 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. | Swing Dance | All Ages | Music Center 1010 | Drop in and swing dance with music provided by the Interlochen Jazz Orchestra! |
| 12 p.m. to 12:20 p.m. | Acting Workshop | Ages 10 to 13 | Harvey Theatre | Explore the three main tools of the actor: the voice, the body, and the imagination. Engage in theatre exercises and activities that teach fundamental acting skills. |
| 12 p.m. to 12:20 p.m. | Kids Conduct with Classical IPR | All Ages | Music Center 1008 | Young aspiring conductors take turns conducting the Interlochen Arts Academy Wind Symphony in a musical adventure! |
| 12 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. | Live Karaoke | All Ages | Dendrinos Chapel | From pop hits to Disney classics, take turns belting out your favorite karaoke tunes with a live rock band! |
| 12 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. | Capoeira Circle | Recommended Ages 5 and Up | Harvey 107 | Come play capoeira, a dance like martial art from Brazil accompanied by singing and instruments. |
| 12:40 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. | Percussion Petting Zoo | All Ages | Music Center 1010 | Ever wanted to try a percussion instrument? Make music and discover the awesome sounds they can create. |
| 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. | Winterlochen Parade | All Ages | All Campus | Listen for the Traverse City West Senior High School drum corp at 1:30 p.m. Join the parade around campus that will lead all to Corson Auditorium for the free Kids Fun performance. |
| 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Interlochen Arts Academy Presents: Kids Fun! | All Ages | Corson Auditorium | Wrap up the Winterlochen fun with a Frozen review featuring Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and Kristoff! |
| 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. | Meet the Frozen characters! | All Ages | Corson Auditorium | Enjoy a magical meet-and-greet with the Frozen characters to end the day! |
PHOTO AND VIDEO RELEASE: BY ATTENDING THIS EVENT, YOU CONSENT TO YOUR VOICE, NAME, AND/OR LIKENESS BEING USED, WITHOUT COMPENSATION, IN ALL MEDIA BY INTERLOCHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS.
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